After a Failed IVF Cycle: What Is a Hysteroscopy?
When an IVF cycle doesn't work, a hysteroscopy can check the womb for anything that might affect implantation. What it is, what it can find and what to expect.
When an IVF cycle doesn't work, one of the first questions is "why?" To look for answers, your doctor may suggest a hysteroscopy. It's a quick look inside the womb to check whether anything there could be getting in the way of an embryo implanting.
At a glance
- A hysteroscopy uses a thin tube with a small camera, passed through the vagina and cervix into the womb.1
- It's used to look into fertility problems and repeated miscarriages. Small growths such as polyps can often be removed at the same time.1
- It usually takes 10 to 15 minutes. Period-like pain for a couple of days and light bleeding for up to a week are normal afterwards.1
- Polyps are among the most common findings. Others include scar tissue (adhesions), fibroids and differences in the shape of the womb.2
- Some studies suggest pregnancy rates may be higher after a hysteroscopy, but the evidence is still limited.2
▶ Watch: After their first IVF cycle didn't work, Henry and Precious share why they had a hysteroscopy, what it showed, and what they had to learn about next.
Sources & Further Reading
[1] NHS. Hysteroscopy. Read the NHS hysteroscopy page Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. ↩
[2] Wang Y, Tang Z, Wang C, Teng X, He J. Whether hysteroscopy improves fertility outcomes in infertile women: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2024;15:1489783. doi:10.3389/fendo.2024.1489783 Licence: CC BY 4.0. ↩
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